Pregnancy complicated by massive incisional hernia: challenges in management and review of literature.

Pregnancy complicated by incisional hernia is rare but can become an obstetric challenge if the gravid uterus becomes displaced or incarcerated into the hernial sac or if there is ulceration of the overlying dermis as a result of increased intra-abdominal pressure being transmitted to the skin. We report a case of a pregnant woman presenting with a large incisional hernia at 19 weeks of gestation and discuss how problems encountered with progressing pregnancy were managed conservatively by adopting a multidisciplinary team approach (which included surgeons and radiologists). She underwent a caesarean section at 35 weeks of gestation due to active bleeding from the ulcerated skin and foetal growth restriction with subsequent staged secondary hernia repair at a tertiary centre. Close surveillance is mandatory, and a decision on the mode and timing of delivery as well as when to perform the surgical repair of the fascial defect should be team based.

Medical management of small uterocutaneous fistulae with gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogs: Case report and literature review.

Conventional management of uterocutaneous fistula involves open or laparoscopic excision as well as hysterectomy but there is now increasing recognition of successful medical treatment with gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists. We describe the fourth case in the literature of successful nonsurgical treatment of uterocutaneous fistula and discuss two important factors affect the success of medical management, namely the size of the fistula and the duration of treatment. We would recommend that a trial of gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues for at least 6 months particularly in cases of uterocutaneous fistula of 5 mm or less in diameter as this conservative treatment is likely to obviate the need for more hazardous surgical intervention.

Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect mental health, training progression, and fertility planning of obstetrics and gynecology trainees? A survey of London trainees.

PURPOSE OF STUDY: To assess impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental wellbeing, workload, training progression, and fertility planning among London Obstetrics and Gynecology trainees. DESIGN: An anonymous survey comprising 41 peer-validated questions was sent to London trainees. Anxiety and depression were screened using Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire 7 (GAD 7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-seven trainees completed the questionnaire, of whom 54% were aged 25-34 years, 43% were senior trainees (ST6-7), and 51% classified themselves as Black, Asian, and Minority Asian (BAME). Although the percentage of respondents with "moderate"/"severe" GAD 7 and PHQ-9 scores was two to three times that of UK population estimates, median GAD 7 and PHQ-9 scores were 7 and 6 ("mild"). Sixteen percent deferred their fertility plans and 26% of ST6-7 trainees changed their Advanced Training Skills Modules. Other issues raised ranged from lack of assistance with electronic portfolio, postponement of examinations, poor senior input for mental health, lack of debriefing for redeployed trainees and requests for deferment of annual reviews. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic has incurred an impact on mental health, training progression, and fertility planning of London trainees. With recommencement of nonemergency consultations and elective gynecology theater, alongside Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Recovery Blueprint to optimize learning opportunities, there is optimism that these challenges can be overcome. Trainers and trainees need to safeguard training opportunities and consider innovative forms of future learning, while anticipating potential effects of subsequent waves.

Women who decline blood during labour: Review of findings and lessons learnt from 52 years of Confidential Enquiries into maternal mortality in the United Kingdom (1962-2019).

OBJECTIVE: Patients who decline blood products because of their religious beliefs pose a unique challenge in the context of obstetric haemorrhage. Four large series assessing maternal outcomes in Jehovah's Witnesses from USA, UK, Netherlands and Japan estimate that maternal mortality is increased by between 44 and 160-fold. A review of maternal deaths from obstetric haemorrhage was undertaken in mothers who decline blood transfusion, using UK Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths reports (1967-2019) in order to identify common trends and lessons learnt. DESIGN: Retrospective review using 18 triennial Confidential Enquiries in Maternal Deaths reports between 1967 and 2019. RESULTS: Fifteen maternal deaths from haemorrhage were reported in patients who declined blood products for religious beliefs in the 52 years reviewed. Common themes noted included delay in senior escalation, hesitation to perform life-saving hysterectomy and loss of situational awareness. Placental abruptions (3/15) and curettage for secondary postpartum haemorrhage (2/15) especially warrant senior input and cooperation with Jehovah's Witness Hospital Liaison Committees is recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Guidelines from the UK's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Surgeons highlight the need for collaborative, Montgomery-competent discussions during the antenatal period, as well as the engagement of local Jehovah's Witness Hospital Liaison committees. Consultant-led care, antenatal optimisation of haemoglobin and techniques to mitigate blood loss at delivery are paramount. We advocate using a lower threshold for hysterectomy than was used in the cases analysed, for example when the haemoglobin level drops below 8-9 g/l in the context of ongoing bleeding. As patients increasingly begin to decline blood products for non-religious reasons, the lessons learnt in the management of Jehovah's Witnesses are becoming ever more relevant.

Management of postpartum haemorrhage in a patient with Klippel-Trènaunay syndrome.

Klippel-Trènaunay syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterised by vascular malformations, which may be exacerbated during pregnancy and pose considerable thromboembolic and haemorrhagic risk for obstetric patients. We report on a patient with this syndrome who underwent elective caesarean section which was indicated due to previous obstetric anal sphincter injury. We describe her multidisciplinary preoperative planning and successful management of major postpartum haemorrhage with uterine compression sutures and intrauterine balloon tamponade ('uterine sandwich').

COVID-19 vaccination: patient uptake and attitudes in a multi-ethnic North London maternity unit.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women has been low, particularly in younger and ethnic minority mothers. We performed a 'snapshot' survey to explore vaccine uptake and factors which influence this, as well as underlying beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women in a North London hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant women were invited to complete an anonymised survey, where data were collected on demographics, personal and household vaccination status, and beliefs about the vaccine. Free-text comments were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Two hundred and two women completed the survey, of whom 56.9% (n=115) were unvaccinated and 43.1% (n=87) had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with 35.6% (n=72) having received two doses. Factors associated with acceptance of vaccination included: (a) age over 25 years (57.6% vaccinated vs 17.2% under 25 years); (b) Asian ethnicity (69.4% vaccinated vs 41.2% white ethnicity, 27.5% black/Caribbean/African/black-British ethnicity and 12.5% mixed ethnicity) and (c) living in a vaccinated household (63.7% vaccinated vs 9.7% living in an unvaccinated household) (all p<0.001). Vaccine uptake was higher in women who had relied on formal medical advice as their main source of information compared with other sources (59.0% vs 37.5% friends and family, 30.4% news and 21.4% social media). Qualitative data revealed concerns about a lack of information regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Age, ethnicity, household vaccination status and information source influenced vaccination status in our pregnant population. These findings highlight the urgent need to tackle vaccine mistrust and disseminate pregnancy-specific vaccine safety data to pregnant women. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 5467.

Prolonged brachial plexus neuropathy: a rare complication following protracted endometriosis surgery in Lloyd-Davies position.

Brachial plexus injury is a rare but potentially serious complication of laparoscopic surgery. Loss of motor and/or sensory innervation can have a significant impact on the patient's quality of life following otherwise successful surgery. A 38-year-old underwent elective laparoscopic management of severe endometriosis during which she was placed in steep head-down tilt Lloyd-Davies position for a prolonged period. On awakening from anaesthesia, the patient had no sensation or movement of her dominant right arm. A total plexus brachialis injury was suspected. As advised by a neurologist, an MRI brachial plexus, nerve conduction study and electromyography were requested. She was managed conservatively and made a gradual recovery with a degree of residual musculocutaneous nerve neuropathy. The incidence of brachial plexus injury following laparoscopy is unknown but the brachial plexus is particularly susceptible to injury as a result of patient positioning and prolonged operative time. Patient positioning in relation to applied clinical anatomy is explored and risk reduction strategies described.

The Zavanelli manoeuvre revisited: A review of the literature and a guide to performing cephalic replacement for severe shoulder dystocia.

The Zavanelli manoeuvre is often the final resort of the clinician facing undeliverable shoulder dystocia and we present retrospective pooled data comprising 110 shoulder dystocia cases, 11 impacted breech and 11 locked twin deliveries assessed from ten case series and 38 individual case reports. Although recommended when other external and internal manipulations have failed, we suspect that many clinicians have not had formal training on how to conduct the manoeuvre and may be unfamiliar with the steps involved, leading to a reluctance and delay in initiating this. We describe original descriptions of the manoeuvre, examine its use in intractable shoulder dystocia and illustrate stepwise the cephalic replacement technique. For this review, we have concentrated mainly on the outcomes of the Zavanelli manoeuvre in shoulder dystocia but have also touched on its role in impacted breech and locked twin deliveries. Lastly, we discuss the cognitive load an obstetrician faces when having to make time critical decisions in severe shoulder dystocia and share how other disciplines train and prepare their personnel to manage similar rare and unexpected scenarios.

Developing the 'checking' discipline.

We explore how engagement with checklists and adoption of a strict 'checking' discipline help avoid unintentional individual, team and systemic errors. Paradoxically, this is equally important when performing repetitive mundane tasks as well as during times of high-stress workload. In this article, we aim to discuss the different types of checklists and explain how deviations from a 'checking' discipline can lead to never events such as wrong side or site surgery. Well-designed checklists function as mental notes and prompts in clinical situations where the combination of fatigue and stress can contribute to a decline in cognitive performance. Furthermore, the need for proactive discussion by all members of the team during the implementation of the surgical checklist also reinforces the concept of teamwork and contributes towards effective communication. Patient safety is often a product of good communication, teamwork and anticipation: a 'checking' mentality remains the lynchpin which links these factors.

Suturing Skills for Medical Students: A Systematic Review.

AIM: This systematic review aimed to identify all published evidence on teaching suturing skills for medical students. We aimed to outline significant positive teaching outcomes and devise a comprehensive framework for the optimal teaching of suturing skills for medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE® (via Ovid), EMBASE and SCOPUS databases until July 2019 with no language restriction using predefined 'Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO)' criteria. Data were summarised in discrete thematic axes using a qualitative synthesis approach. RESULTS: Our search yielded a total of 2,562 articles, out of which 25 were included in the final data synthesis. We provide a structured breakdown of educational interventions including participants, instructors and nature of teaching intervention. We also describe discrete means for assessment of performance and retention of suturing skills. Based on those we propose a standardised framework on teaching suturing skills for novices. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the first systematic review investigating teaching interventions used to teach suturing skills in medical students. After extraction of individual positive teaching outcomes and utilising widely known learning theories and principles, we devised a comprehensive framework for more efficient and cost-effective teaching of suturing skills to medical students in the future.

Unexpected borderline ovarian tumours (BOT) in late pregnancy: challenges in management and review of literature.

This case report describes a right-sided borderline ovarian tumour diagnosed unexpectedly following suspected torsion in the third trimester of pregnancy. The patient had had a right mucinous cystadenoma and left serous cystadenoma in her previous pregnancy and underwent bilateral ovarian cystectomy at the time of her first elective caesarean section. The management of borderline ovarian tumours is generally difficult in younger women of reproductive age and is made more complex by pregnancy. The authors share the challenges of managing this condition in pregnancy together with a review of the literature.

Does temperature of distending medium matter in outpatient hysteroscopy? A double-blinded cohort control observational study of room temperature versus warmed saline.

AIM: There is little data assessing outcomes of outpatient hysteroscopy using warmed versus room temperature saline. The aim of this study was to determine if the temperature of the distending medium during outpatient hysteroscopy affect ease of procedure, clarity of view, procedural discomfort/pain and patient satisfaction. METHODS: This was a double-blinded cohort control quasi-randomized prospective study involving 100 women undergoing outpatient diagnostic and operative hysteroscopy for abnormal uterine bleeding, intrauterine contraceptive devices retrieval and removal of endometrial polyps. Outpatient hysteroscopy was performed either with normal saline either at room temperature (control at 25°C) or warmed to body temperature (37°C). RESULTS: Confounding variables such as age, parity, previous cervical surgery, previous vaginal births, menopausal status and indications for hysteroscopy were similar in the room temperature (n = 48) and warmed saline (n = 52) groups. Mean procedure duration (256 vs 233 s), ease of entry (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS] 9.55 vs 9.4) and the clarity of view (VAS 9.02 vs 9.3) were statistically similar in both groups (all P > 0.05) as was discomfort experienced during hysteroscopy (VAS 6.6/10 vs 6.8/10) and at 5 min post-procedure (VAS 4.2/10 vs 3.2/10) (both P > 0.05). The likelihood of recommending the procedure to a friend was similar in both groups (mean VAS 6.9/10 vs 7.2/10; P = 0.1). CONCLUSION: The temperature of the distension medium did not influence ease of procedure, clarity of hysteroscopy view, procedural discomfort/pain and patient satisfaction. Patients were not any more likely to recommend the procedure to a friend in the warmed saline compared to the room temperature group.

Novel laparoscopic cornual resection of interstitial pregnancy using the Endo GIA™ Universal Stapler (Medtronic): A series of 12 cases.

BACKGROUND: The maternal mortality of interstitial pregnancy is five times greater than that of other ectopic gestations due to potential haemorrhage. Minimal access surgical techniques usually comprise cornual resection and cornuostomy, requiring laparoscopic suturing skills. AIM: To describe a case series using a laparoscopic automatic stapling device with reloadable cartridges to resect the cornu, enabling surgeons less familiar with intracorporeal suturing to avoid laparotomy when managing interstitial pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve cases of laparoscopic cornual resections for interstitial pregnancies with the Endo GIA™ Universal Stapler (Medtronic) were collected prospectively over eight years. Outcome measures include human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit (hßCG) levels, successful laparoscopic completion, estimated blood loss, intra-and post-operative complications and length of stay. RESULTS: Median age and gestation at surgery were 31 years (range: 20-44) and eight weeks (range: 5-12), respectively. All involved live interstitial gestations, and 4/12 cases had significant haemoperitoneum at laparoscopy. The median blood loss was 300 mL (range 100-3500), and five women had blood loss >500 mL. The median serum hßCG level was 6429 IU/L (range: 1800-58690), and the median ectopic size was 4 cm (range 2-6). All cases were completed laparoscopically with no intra- or post-operative complications, although two women required blood transfusions. Median length of stay was 40 h. Further pregnancies could only be followed in 2/12 cases due to the migratory nature of our local population. CONCLUSION: We describe a case series of 12 laparoscopic cornual resections for interstitial pregnancies using Endo GIA™ Universal Stapler, which simultaneously staples and transects the tissues, thus minimising the need for laparoscopic intracorporeal suturing.